


For the Love of Angela Lansbury

by Whos the Boss_Geekery (Outlander_Geekery)



Category: Who's the Boss?
Genre: Attraction, F/M, Opposites Attract, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:01:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25056640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Outlander_Geekery/pseuds/Whos%20the%20Boss_Geekery
Summary: This is set between the Pilot and Briefless Encounter.
Relationships: Angela Bower/Tony Micelli
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	For the Love of Angela Lansbury

“Alright, Angela, the kitchen is spotless and lunches are prepped for tomorrow.” Tony strutted into the living room with his usual effervescent energy. The kitchen door swung softly behind him, sending a faint lemon-fresh scent into the air. “Is there anything else you need me to get ready for tomorrow?” 

Angela was curled up on the living room couch with the TV Guide in her hand and a stack of work on her lap. She turned to face him and scrunched up her nose to see clearly through her reading glasses. “No thank you, Tony. I think we’re all set. _Murder She Wrote_ is on in ten minutes -- you want to watch? I could make us some tea.”

Tony paused and looked her over before looking towards the stairs. “Uh... no, no thanks. I think I’m just going to head up to bed, maybe do a little reading.”

“Oh, oh ok.” Angela tried to hide her disappointment. Motioning to her lap she added, “I should probably get some of this work done anyway.” 

“Have a good night, Angela.” He gave a little wave before turning away.

“You too, night.”

The next night played out the same way. After the kids were in bed and his evening work was finished, Tony headed straight up to bed. 

Angela wasn’t necessarily upset, but she was confused. They had gotten off to a rocky start over the situation with Grant, but after that friendship had come easy. During his first couple of weeks they’d enjoyed quite a few nights watching television or talking after the kids went to bed. She’d been surprised by just how thoughtful and sensitive of a man he was, and how much they loved some of the same television shows and movies -- plus, of course, it didn’t hurt that he was quite attractive as well. She knew nothing would come of it, but she enjoyed the attention from him nevertheless. She thought he had also been having a nice time, but now she wondered if his enthusiasm had more to do with obligation than enjoyment.

“You don’t pay him to be your friend, Angela. You pay him to run the house, and he is doing a great job.” 

“I know that, Mother, but we seemed to be getting along.” Angela almost immediately regretted bringing the topic up to her mother the next morning. Tony had just left to take the kids to the bus stop so they had a few minutes alone in the kitchen before it was time for Angela to leave for the train. “I hope he didn’t feel obligated to get to know me.” Angela took a sip of coffee to hide the slight blush of embarrassment on her cheeks. 

“Have you checked to see if the phone is off the hook? Maybe he is talking to a girlfriend. Maybe he’s got a better offer than hanging out with two dried up Angelas.”

“He said he loves Angela Lansbury!” Angela exclaimed.

“Of course, dear. Most 30-something men do.” She sarcastically retorted. 

“Angela! I’m back, let's move it! We have six minutes to get you to the train!” Tony was back and bellowing from the living room.

Mona picked up Angela’s juice glass and coffee cup and took them to the sink to be rinsed out. She looked back at Angela and said, “If it’s really bothering you, you should ask him, but be prepared to expect some boundaries. Tony is a wonderful housekeeper and a great guy, but his time after work is his to choose how he spends it.”

It took Angela until the following Sunday to gather up the courage to bring it up.

“Tony, do you have a minute?” Angela asked as she walked into the kitchen. She had just finished getting ready for bed and was planning to grab a snack and head to the couch, most likely alone.

“Sure, Angela, what’s up?” He called over his shoulder, both hands busy scrubbing a pot. 

Angela grabbed a towel and started drying the wet dishes that had accumulated on the rack. If her hands were busy he may not notice she was nervous.

“Thank you.” Tony said warmly.

“I just wanted to say how much I’ve enjoyed having you and Samantha here.”

“Oh, great. We really enjoy being here. Samantha loves her new school and Jonathan is a great kid.” 

“Oh good, I’m glad. It’s just…” Angela paused, and Tony stopped scrubbing to look at her. “It’s just, I wanted to make sure I haven’t done or said anything to upset you. We seemed to be getting along quite well last week, but this week you’ve headed straight to bed every night.” 

“Angela…” Tony looked away from her, making her stomach do a small flip of dread.

“If you lied about liking _Murder She Wrote_ , it’s alright.” Angela added in an attempt to ease the awkwardness, “I would be willing to watch _Night Rider_ on Sundays…”

“No! I would never lie about that. I love Angela Lansbury!” He said earnestly.

“Then would you just rather not watch with me?” Angela paused, a little embarrassed to have asked. “Would you like a television in your room?”

“No, no, I like watching with you, I do,” Tony stopped doing the dishes and dried his hands. He turned to face her. “It’s just that, usually when we’re watching television, you are ready for bed. It’s been warmer, and you’ve been wearing… what you’ve been wearing.” Tony motioned at her pajamas.

Angela looked down at her night clothes. It had been unseasonably warm for October the last couple of weeks so she had dug back out her warm-weather sleep sets. Tonight, it was a cute, light blue cotton sleeveless shirt with white lace trim and accent stitching across the chest. The shorts had matching white lace trim. Certainly nothing too revealing, though the shorts did show most of her legs. 

“What’s wrong with what I am wearing?” She asked.

“Nothing. There is nothing wrong with it. I mean, this is your house, and I don’t have any right to tell you what you should wear.” 

“Oh, my God. Did you think I was coming on to you?”

“No! No, not at all. The thing is though…” Tony looked like he wanted to be anywhere but having this conversation right now. “You catch my eye, Angela, and I don’t want to get caught looking. Sam and I really like it here, and I really need to keep this job.” He looked away and absently wiped around the sink. “I just thought it was better for me to separate myself. This is your house. You should be able to dress the way you want to without worrying about some guy checkin’ you out.”

“Tony, I’m sorry. I had no idea.” Angela crossed her arms over her chest. 

“Nothing to be sorry about, but that’s why. I’d never want to make you feel uncomfortable.”

“I never meant for you to be uncomfortable either. I just didn’t think that you viewed me in that way at all.” Angela felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. She felt like a bit of a schoolgirl who just found out a popular guy thought she was cute. Tony could probably get any woman he wanted so the idea that she could turn his head gave her butterflies.

“Really?” The look on his face gave Angela the impression she should have considered it a given he would find her attractive.

“Really! I mean, I’m not exactly your type.”

“Ay, what do you know about my type?”

Angela hadn’t seen a picture of Tony’s late wife, but considering Samantha’s hair and eyes, she imagined she must have had the same dark set as her husband and daughter. “Well, I don’t know. I mean, I’m not brunette, I don't have a big bosom, and I’m not from Brooklyn.”

“I do date outside the borough, Angela.” The way he said her name made her smile. “Anyway, I happen to love blondes, and I like all different types of ... *bosoms*.” He stressed the use of the same word she had used, though she imagined it may not have been his first choice of terminology, if not in her company. “If I’m being honest, I always notice legs first.”

“Oh.” Angela understood. 

“Yeah, oh. You’ve got legs for days. They’re tan and smooth, and your cute little toes are so nicely painted.” Tony looked a little flushed. “Then when you lean forward to change the television chann—“

“Okay. I get it.” Angela held up her hand. “I’ll cover up.”

“But that’s the thing, Angela.” Tony gave her an embarrassed look. “This is your house and you shouldn’t have to worry about what you are wearing because of me. I’ll just catch up on television when it gets colder out.”

“I’m not worried about it, but I should be mindful that someone else lives here now. I’m used to being on my own at night, or with Mother.”

“Really? You never invited other housekeepers to watch television with you?” Tony joked.

“Mrs. Hiller only watched old westerns. And no one else was ever really interested in spending time together.”

“I like spending time with you.” 

“I like spending time with you, too.” They were quiet for a moment before Angela continued. “It’s not just you, Tony.” 

“What do you mean?”

“The couple of times I have seen you without a shirt on, I have found it distracting. If you were to come down to watch television like that every night, I would definitely be … uncomfortable.” Angela looked anywhere but Tony’s face.

“Oh. Ok. I’ll keep that in mind. I don’t want you to be ... uncomfortable.”

Angela neatly folded the towel she had been using to dry the dishes. “What do you say I go upstairs and grab a robe--”

“And then we watch _Murder She Wrote_?”

“Yes!” Angela couldn’t help but smile at his excitement.

“You betcha! I’ll finish up here and make us some popcorn.” 

“Great!”

“Oh, and Angela?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell those legs I’m gonna miss ‘em.”

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This was just a little idea in my head that maybe Angela didn't always cover up from head to toe. It's also a little tease to Tony Danza and Judith Light's audition where "Tony" couldn't help but check "Angela" out. Hope you enjoyed it! If you notice any typos, feel free to let me know and I'll fix them.


End file.
